Happy May. Work has been hectic and has left us with little time to do other things. It’s about priorities, and I need to start learning how to prioritize.

A recap and some fun things I’m consuming:

A new favorite drink- “The White Lady”: ice, juice of half a lemon, Gin, and a splash of Cointreau. Shake and serve. So delicious and refreshing.

This video is hilarious. Take a few minutes to watch. Second embarrassment at it’s finest.

We went to see Three Six Mafia at the Mezzanine last Saturday. It’s more of an inside joke, but when we first met we bonded over them and would watch their reality TV show on Thursdays. But back then we were young(er). Going to this show made me realize how much stamina I had. It’s not the same anymore. Enjoy your youth. And in case you’re wondering, I wore a cardigan to a rap concert. Seriously.

Where did this month go? I spent it dealing with allergies. As wonderful as Spring is, it’s almost a guaranteed miserable April for me with all the pollen. In San Francisco, we’ll soon transition into a cold and foggy Summer, which I actually enjoy.

I put together a few J.Crew favorites for this Spring, a mix of cashmere and shorts- perfect for San Francisco! I never wear pink, but love how these pink shorts clash perfectly with everything.

And since it’s Friday, I want to call out some of my favorite things that I can’t live without. I recently jumped onto the Warby Parker bandwagon, and love their glasses. They fit perfectly, ship quickly, are affordable, and you know you’re helping someone else out with the free pair they give away. What’s not to love? They just came out with some prescription sunglasses that I’ll have to check out.

Being a tourist in a place where you once lived is always a ton of fun. We got to do all the things we missed out on when we lived in D.C. (museums, zoos, historical landmarks).

So about the zoo- our old apartment was right next door to the zoo and I would always stroll through it in the early mornings or late at night on my way to or from home. It was always so nice and quiet.

1. Zebras at the zoo//2. Bear sleeping at the Zoo//3. Our old apartment//4. Where we stayed//5. Love the door //6. Dupont, right next to my D.C. office//7.The Red Line//8. All a blur//9. Guess the building//10. Restaurant in Alexandria with famous and local patrons// 11. Sculpture Garden //12. ?

It’s always nostalgic to return to a former home when you’re at a different stage in your life. When we lived in D.C. many years ago we were broke, inexperienced, impatient, fearless, and wide-eyed. Many of the opportunities and learning lessons came from this naivety. Sometimes, there’s nothing scarier than someone who has nothing left to lose, which was me in D.C. a handful of years ago.

It’s been raining and hailing in San Francisco. Have you seen this incredible picture of the Bay Bridge? It rarely rains this hard in the Bay, but when it does it gives me every excuse to stay in on the weekend while everyone I know is at Coachella.

I’ve been sick for the past few days and hoping to be on the mend this weekend. I’m actually surprised my immune system held up through this winter and countless business trips, but what really did me in was sharing a plane with over 100 middle schoolers. Yikes.

Some things I want to share:

I’m almost finished with Susan Cain’s, Quiet: The Power of Introverts, and it’s really put a lot of things in perspective for me including why I need to take a break after a work retreat or long brainstorming sessions. It’s a must read for both introverts and extroverts.

The always perfect Marissa Mayer on how to avoid burn-out. This topic is really important to me. Do you have any tips? It used to be my Tuesday and Thursday Pilates Reformer class but ever since there was a new instructor it hasn’t been the same.

Some lovely things I’ve been lusting after though there are more pragmatic things to save up for like world travels, a new couch to spend lazy Sundays on, more books to feed my Kindle, a good Kiva or Kickstarter investment, a best friend aka a dog, new climbing gear and camera lens for T., good eats and experiences.

I’m loving the red Clare Vivier purse (third row) and the J.Crew mini-Brompton won’t break the bank either. Chloe and Reed can do no wrong. I have a Proenza Schoulder P.S. 1 handbag, but let me tell you that thing is not practical if you want to use it on a daily basis with its buckles and straps. It lives in my closet in it’s two dustbags and rarely sees the light of day, which is a shame because it is a thing of beauty. I need my fashion to be practical, and no that’s not supposed to be contradictory.

Being practical, realistic, utilitarian is in my DNA and these shoes reflect that. All the heels (minus the Prada at the botton right) are sensible for work, weekend, or a night out.

Why not add in some accessories- the Cartier Love bracelet and watch are my faves and are a nice treat/investment for that someone special (*hint). Skinny leather cuffs are always nice if not a bit ostentatious. And I’ve been even more obsessed with Cartier ever since my friend Jeannie took me to the exhibit at the Legion of Honor last year.

One of my easy yet signature dishes is a roasted lemon herb chicken with kale, caramelized onions, and lemon pappardelle pasta. If I’m feeling extra ambitious, I might throw in a few sautéed mushrooms for extra flavor. The first time I made this dish I was pretty impressed with myself (and so were others… I promised to email out this recipe but never got around to it- here it is, friends!). Now, it’s my go-to dish and soon I’m sure Thomas will just roll his eyes and tell me he’s full on cereal the next time I make it.

The complete meal (and yes, make room for some of the skin....)

Ingredients:

Simple ingredients minus the bird

3-5 pound whole chicken…ask the butcher to take the neck and organs out unless you’re brave and can do it yourself. I can’t.

Herbs: I like fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage (go heavy on the herbs)

3/4 cup of olive oil

2 medium lemons or 1 large lemon

4-5 cloves of minced garlic

2 onions (1 to caramelize and the other one to stuff the bird)

3-4 tablespoons of crushed pepper (eyeball it)

1/2 cup of salt, or to taste

Kale or spinach, only if you want

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (to taste)

lemon pappardale available at Trader Joe’s. You can make this if you’re extra ambitious and have tons of free time.

Getting Started

*serves 4 people, or 2 really hungry people with lots of leftovers.

*Prep time: 20 minutes; cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Chop 1 onion and caramelize slowly

Start prepping everything for the olive oil and herb bath. In a bowl, combine chopped herbs, olive oil, minced garlic, pepper, 1/3 cup of salt, and juice of a lemon.

Thyme and olive oil

Olive Oil bath

Rough chop a lemon and onion. This doesn’t have to be pretty. You’re just going to stuff inside the chicken’s cavity

Chicken time! If you know me then you know nothing freaks me out more than chicken germs. Line a baking tray with foil. Inspect your chicken and double check to make sure there’s nothing inside the chicken’s cavity. No one wants to bake a neck wrapped in paper accidentally. Pat your chicken dry. If you don’t take any other advice from this post, then take this one. It will make/break your chicken.

Open up the cavity of your chicken. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Stuff the chicken with your lemon and chopped up onion. You don’t have to pin the chicken up, but I do to lock in the flavor.

Cover the entire chicken in the olive oil bath. Yes, you will have to do it with your hands. Make sure you wash them carefully after. No one wants salmonella.

Place it in the oven on the middle rack for an hour and fifteen minutes.

With 10 minutes left until the chicken is done cooking, start cooking your pasta and braising your kale.

Take out chicken and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. You should always let meat rest to lock in the juice and flavors.

Drain the pasta water (just leave the smallest amount), add in some olive oil, salt/pepper, parmesan, braised kale, and caramelized onions and toss.

The (almost) final product.

Serve and enjoy! Let us know if you made a similar dish or have any advice on new flavor combinations as well as tips on how to roast a chicken.